Storm water and traffic collector box culvert

ABSTRACT

Disclosed in the present application is a system for a storm water and traffic collector box culvert. The system may comprise a plurality of reinforced slabs with an upper slab that may be configured as a reinforced surface to collect storm water runoff. The plurality of slabs may be connected by a plurality of attachment mechanisms. Accordingly, the present system is directed to an environmentally friendly culvert design that can minimize the magnitude of earthworks required by traditional drainage systems while also providing increased drainage capabilities. The Environmentally friendly design will contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the American Urban Infrastructure in reducing the drainage and traffic congestions.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/712,994 filed on Apr. 4, 2022, which issues on Jan. 31, 2023 as U.S. Pat. No. 11,566,411, which claims benefit under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/191,894 filed on May 21, 2021, which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

It is intended that the referenced application may be applicable to the concepts and embodiments disclosed herein, even if such concepts and embodiments are disclosed in the referenced application with different limitations and configurations and described using different examples and terminology.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of environmentally friendly urban infrastructure storm water runoff management.

BACKGROUND

In many situations, urban infrastructure can negatively impact the living environment. For example, most modern infrastructure merely sits on top of the soil where the infrastructure is constructed. This continuously expanding soil covering can kill the surrounding natural environment. Without the runoff protection, offered by the natural environment, urban areas require expansive systems to compensate for the runoff associated with urban development. Thus, the conventional strategy is to design winding drainage systems, that while effective for capturing runoff, may become easily clogged due to the shape of the drainage system. Therefore, even minor rainstorms can turn into manmade floods that can lead to increased soil erosion and contamination of water and soil in the living environment.

Moreover, cities generally lack a comprehensive, efficient, and effective storm water management system. Moreover, individual cities and towns have separate codes, making it difficult to develop an overall storm water management system for a region. The extensive soil coverage in urban areas increases the need for these areas to rely more heavily on culverts and drainage systems.

BRIEF OVERVIEW

This brief overview is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This brief overview is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this brief overview intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

Disclosed is a system for a storm water and traffic collector box culvert for both allowing traffic (e.g., automobile, pedestrian, bicycle, and/or other traffic) to flow across an upper surface, and collecting storm water runoff and allowing the runoff to drain and flow through a lower portion, below the upper surface. The system may be modular, and each module may include an upper slab that may be constructed with a reinforced road surface, and a plurality of grated cages for allowing runoff to drain away from the upper surface through a plurality of corresponding drainage mechanisms, while preventing the traffic from being impeded by the drainage mechanisms.

In some aspects, the culvert system may include a pair of opposed side walls, each side wall having a substantially planar wall portion, and one or more columns extending through the wall portion, each of the one or more columns having an upper attachment point that extends upwardly from an upper edge of the wall portion and a lower attachment point that extends downwardly from a lower edge of the wall portion. The system may further include a base slab having a plurality of base sockets disposed on an inner surface of the base slab, wherein the plurality of base sockets are disposed in rows along opposed peripheral edges of the inner surface of the base slab, the base sockets being configured to receive and retain the lower attachment points of the pair of opposed side walls. An upper slab of the system may have an outer surface configured to support one or more vehicles traveling across the upper slab and an inner surface configured to connect the upper slab to the pair of opposing side walls. A plurality of upper sockets are disposed on the inner surface of the upper slab, wherein the plurality of upper sockets are disposed in rows along opposed peripheral edges of the inner surface of the upper slab, the upper sockets being configured to receive and retain the upper attachment points of the pair of opposed side walls. A plurality of drains are disposed along alternating sides of a centerline of the upper slab, each drain extending through the upper slab, between the outer surface and the inner surface, each drain configured to allow runoff to drain through the upper slab and into an interior of the culvert, defined by the upper slab, the base slab, and the pair of opposed side walls. The upper slab, the base slab, and the pair of opposing side walls form a rectangular prism culvert configured to drain the runoff.

In another aspect, a system for storm water runoff and traffic collection may include a plurality of interconnected reinforced concrete slabs assembled to define a polyhedral shape. A first slab may include a reinforced surface having a plurality of drains disposed along a centerline of the first slab to allow runoff to pass through the first slab at the location of the plurality of drains. The reinforced surface may include a reversed crown to direct the runoff towards a center line of the reinforced surface, and a plurality of sockets may be disposed on an inner surface of the first slab. A second slab may be configured to oppose the first slab. The runoff may be collected between the first slab and the second slab, and a plurality of sockets may be disposed on an inner surface of the second slab. The plurality of sockets on the second slab extend through the second slab to allow runoff to drain through the sockets. A pair of side slabs may be configured to interconnect with the first slab and the second slab, and to support at least the first slab. Each of the side slabs may include upper columns for mating with the sockets of the first slab and lower columns for mating with the sockets of the second slab.

Both the foregoing brief overview and the following detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing brief overview and the following detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings contain representations of various trademarks and copyrights owned by the Applicant. In addition, the drawings may contain other marks owned by third parties and are being used for illustrative purposes only. All rights to various trademarks and copyrights represented herein, except those belonging to their respective owners, are vested in and the property of the Applicant. The Applicant retains and reserves all rights in its trademarks and copyrights included herein, and grants permission to reproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of the granted patent and for no other purpose.

Furthermore, the drawings may contain text or captions that may explain certain embodiments of the present disclosure. This text is included for illustrative, non-limiting, explanatory purposes of certain embodiments detailed in the present disclosure. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert in an assembled state;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inner surface of the upper slab of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert, sowing components thereof;

FIG. 4 is a side view of at Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a grate for use with the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert;

FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of an embodiment of the upper slab of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert;

FIG. 7 is a cutaway view of another embodiment of the upper slab of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert;

FIG. 8 is a cutaway view of an embodiment of the base slab of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert;

FIG. 9 is a cutaway view of an embodiment of a side wall of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert; and

FIG. 10 is a cutaway view of an embodiment of the center support mechanism of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

Regarding applicability of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6, no claim element is intended to be read in accordance with this statutory provision unless the explicit phrase “means for” or “step for” is actually used in such claim element, whereupon this statutory provision is intended to apply in the interpretation of such claim element.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in, the context of Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culverts, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context.

I. System Overview

This overview is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below. This overview is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this overview intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a Storm Water and Traffic Collector Box Culvert system. For example, the system may comprise a plurality concrete slabs that would allow for storm water runoff to flow under a road, railroad, trail, or other path. While culverts are traditionally buried and installed as a different system from the path, embodiments of the present disclosure related to a system comprising one or more culverts integrated with an upper slab configured to drain runoff towards a plurality of drainage mechanisms to allow for the system of the present disclosure to collect the drained runoff into the culvert and integrates a road surface on the upper slab of the culvert. Accordingly, the road surface of the upper slab of the system with the combined ability for the enclosed volume of the culvert to capture storm water runoff provides a less environmentally impactful drainage system.

For example, the storm water and traffic collector box culvert may be integrated into existing urban infrastructure. By applying the system to current roads and/or interconnecting the system with existing storm drains, the culvert system disclosed in the application may provide additional centralized drainage capacity to existing urban drainage systems. The upper surface of the system may be configured with a road surface to allow for traffic flow, minimizing changes to traffic patterns while providing the additional drainage capacity. The road surface of the system may have a slight reversed crown to direct runoff towards a plurality of drainage mechanisms disposed along a central portion of the road surface. For example, the drainage mechanisms may provide a continuous means to collect runoff in the system. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the system may provide the area surrounding the system with a cooling effect caused by the collected runoff interfacing with the air enclosed in the culvert to reduce the urban heat bubble.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure the system may require less earthworks to install than traditional drainage systems. Further, by configuring a road surface on the upper slab of the system, there would be less total disturbance to the environment than traditional drainage systems.

The Box Culvert system can provide several benefits, emerging as a vibrant part of Urban Infrastructure, included into the living environment. In particular, the box culvert system described herein offers efficient and effective use of land. The use of the Box Culvert system contributes to absorption, conveyance, and storage of storm water, while providing a place for moving or standing automobiles, walking/running people, and/or use of bicycles and other wheeled vehicles. The addition of the culvert system helps to create space for the placement (or replacement) of healthy soil at the site. The simplification and clarification of urban planning methods by using the box culvert system replaces the currently-used “waves and curves” template, with a “straight line” template, setting the base for advanced urban planning. The advanced storm water management provided by the box culvert system improves local routine by updating and re-organizing the utilities' lines and transportation venues.

Placement of the Box Culvert system allows the restoration of the land's surface to pre-eroded condition, and allows bad or contaminated soil to be amended to healthy conditions. The return of healthy soil may assist in bringing the natural landscape back, combining natural and artificial surfaces into a safe and enjoyable living environment.

The Box Culvert can be manufactured in separate parts and delivered to the site in pieces, making the process of delivery, assembly, and installation much easier, more time-efficient, and more cost-effective.

The advanced Box Culvert system, in operation, may manage storm water, quickly removing it from the surface, conveying and distributing the storm water to the ground table by infiltration. Some water would seep through the gaps between sections of the box culvert system, dissipating in the ground, and feeding the groundwater head, qualifying the Box Culvert as a Green Infrastructure device.

The Box Culvert includes a reinforcing element formed using plastic rebar instead of metal, utilizing the plastic pipes of small diameter. The pipes, being joined onto plastic columns, would help to create a very strong three-dimensional carcass for supporting the culvert and the vehicles and pedestrians disposed thereon. The carcass helps to secure the strength of the entire system.

The inner space of the Storm Water and Traffic Collector Culvert, filled by the moving fluid (a mixture of water and air) would induce an “air-conditioning” or evaporative cooling effect around the Box Culvert system.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise methods, systems, and components comprising a plurality of reinforced slabs.

A. A Plurality of Reinforced Concrete Slabs B. A Plurality of Attachment Mechanisms

Details with regards to each component are provided below. Although components are disclosed with specific functionality, it should be understood that functionality may be shared between components, with some functions split between components, while other functions duplicated by the components. Furthermore, the name of the component should not be construed as limiting upon the functionality of the component. Moreover, each stage disclosed within each component can be considered independently without the context of the other stages within the same component or different components. Each stage may contain language defined in other portions of this specifications. Each stage disclosed for one component may be mixed with the operational stages of another component. In the present disclosure, each stage can be claimed on its own and/or interchangeably with other stages of other components.

Both the foregoing overview and the following detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing overview and the following detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the detailed description.

II. System Configuration

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a storm water and traffic collector box culvert. The system may be configured to collect runoff from a road surface that may be integrated into the construction of the system. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a storm water and traffic collector box culvert.

FIG. 1 illustrates one potential embodiment of the storm water and traffic collector box culvert system 100 in the assembled orientation consistent with an embodiment of the disclosure for providing the system. The assembled culvert 100 may comprise a plurality of slabs. In one embodiment the plurality of slabs may comprise an upper slab 110, a plurality of side walls 120, and a base slab 130. The culvert 100 may further comprise a center support mechanism 140. In embodiments, the culvert 100 may be formed from a concrete material. In some embodiments, the culvert 100 may be constructed using one or more of a plurality of different reinforcing materials such as metals, plastics, ceramic materials, and/or other materials that can provide structural support to the plurality of slabs that make up the culvert. Further the plurality of slabs that make up the culvert 100 may be interconnected using a plurality of attachment mechanisms to secure the various portions of the culvert 100 in a desired orientation.

When the culvert 100 is assembled, the upper slab 110 of the system may have an outer surface 112 configured as a road surface, a parking surface, a pedestrian surface or walkway, a biking surface for use with bicycles and other lightweight vehicles, and/or as any other surface. In embodiments, the outer surface 112 may have dimensions sufficient to allow for an automobile (e.g., a car or truck) to be disposed thereon (e.g., in a parked state, in a driving state, etc.). For example, the upper slab 110 may have a top surface that is 20 feet by 10 feet, that may be suitable for a parking aisle. In other embodiments, the top surface of the upper slab 110 may have a width and/or length sufficient for forming a pedestrian walkway or bike path. Those of skill in the art will recognize that larger and/or smaller dimensions are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

As Shown in FIG. 2 the upper slab 110 includes an inner surface 114 disposed facing an interior of the culvert 100, when the culvert is assembled. The inner surface 114 may include a plurality of sockets 116. In embodiments, the sockets 116 may be arranged in rows near first and second peripheral edges of the inner surface 114, configured to mate with the side walls 120. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , there are two lines of 5 sockets disposed in straight lines along the peripheral edges of the inner surface 114. In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of sockets 116 disposed at or near a center line of the inner surface 114, configured to mate with the center support mechanism 140. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , there are 5 sockets 116 disposed in a straight line along the centerline of the inner surface 114. The sockets 116 may be formed using a pipe having an interior diameter sufficient to accept and mate with a column. Each socket 116 may include a pipe formed from one or more of a variety of durable, non-corrosive materials, such as a plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass, stainless steel, or the like.

The upper slab 110 may include a plurality of drains 141 distributed on or around a centerline of the upper slab 110. In some embodiments, each drain 141 may comprise a grate 143 which covers an aperture defined by the grate. The grate 143 may be formed from a metal, such as iron or steel, plastic, or any other material configured to support a relatively large load. For example, the grate 143 may be designed to support a load of up to 40,000 pounds. The plurality of drains 141 may allow fluid (e.g., rainwater, run-off, and/or any other fluid) to pass from the outer surface 112 through the upper slab 110 and into the interior of the culvert 100. In some embodiments, the plurality of drains 141 may be aligned along the centerline of the upper slab 110 (as shown in FIG. 6 ). In other embodiments, the plurality of drains 141 may be arranged on alternate sides of the centerline of the upper slab 110 (As shown in FIG. 1 ).

As shown in FIG, 1, the culvert 100 when in its assembled state, the upper slab 110 is separated from the base slab 130 by the side walls 120, defining a volume of the culvert 100. The volume of the culvert 100 may allow runoff collected through the plurality of drains 141 on the upper slab 110 to accumulate within the defined volume, contained by the upper slab 110, the base slab 130, and the side walls 120. For example, the drainage mechanism 141 may include drains, grates, and/or pipes for transferring runoff (e.g., storm water) from the upper slab 110 into a culvert formed by the upper slab 110, the base slab 130, and the side walls 120. In further embodiments of the present disclosure, the assembled system 100 may allow some runoff to seep between slabs, particularly where the slabs are interconnecting. In particular, the seepage rate may be controlled, such that the seepage rate allows the surrounding environment may absorb the runoff (e.g. 0.5-5 cm absorbed each hour for loam, at least 5 cm each hour absorbed by more sandy soil). Additionally or alternatively, one or more the slabs 110, 120, 130 may be formed from a porous material, allowing water from inside the culvert 100 into the surrounding environment in a controlled manner.

In some embodiments, the upper slab 110 may be configured with a slight reversed crown to direct water towards the center line of the upper slab. The plurality of drains 141 may be positioned at or near the center line to allow the water to drain from the upper slab. As an example, the upper slab 110 may be sloped about 0.5-1% towards the centerline of the upper slab 110, though greater or lesser reversed crown slopes are contemplated.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the upper slab 110 may comprise a reinforced surface 115 that corresponds to the outer surface 112. The reinforced surface 115 may comprise roads for cars, bikes, foot traffic, and/or other transportation paths. For example, the upper slab 110 may comprise a plurality of reinforced surfaces 115, such as a street and/or a sidewalk. Accordingly, the plurality of drains 141 may be distributed throughout the upper slab 110 according to the environment where the system 100 is being used. The reinforced surface 115 may be reinforced such that it is suitable for automobiles (e.g., cars, trucks, etc.) to travel and/or park thereon. In some embodiments, the reinforced surface 115 may have a slight reversed crown or slope towards the plurality of drainage mechanisms. In some embodiments, each reinforced surface 115 may include a plurality of drains 141. In other embodiments, the plurality of drains 141 may be shared among all reinforced surfaces 115 on the upper slab 110.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded component view of the culvert 100, depicting some components that form the culvert. In particular, FIG. 3 illustrates the plurality of side walls 120, the base slab 130, and the center support mechanism 140. As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the base slab 130 is a substantially planar slab. In embodiments, an outer surface of the base slab is configured to contact the external environment. For example, the outer surface may rest on the ground in the area surrounding the culvert 100. As shown in FIG. 3 , an inner surface 132 of the lower slab 130 may comprise a substantially planar surface that forms a portion of a channel for receiving, containing, and/or directing fluid. The inner surface 132 may include a plurality of sockets 134. In embodiments, the sockets 134 may be arranged in rows near first and second peripheral edges of the inner surface 132, configured to mate with the side walls 120. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , there are two lines of 5 sockets disposed in straight lines along the peripheral edges of the inner surface 132. In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of sockets 134 disposed at or near a center line of the inner surface 132, configured to mate with the center support mechanism 140. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , there are 5 sockets disposed in a straight line along the centerline of the inner surface 132. The sockets 134 may be formed using a pipe having an interior diameter sufficient to accept and mate with a column. Each socket may include a pipe formed from one or more of a variety of durable, non-corrosive materials, such as a plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass, stainless steel, or the like the plurality of side walls 120 may include two opposing side walls.

FIG. 3 further illustrates the plurality of side walls 120. In embodiments each of the side walls 120 may include one or more upper columns 122 and one or more lower columns 124. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , each of the side walls 120 include a set of 5 upper columns 122 extending upward from a top edge of the side wall and a set of 5 lower columns 124 extending downward from a lower edge of the sidewall. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that more or fewer upper columns and lower columns may be used without departing from the scope of the invention, and that the number of upper columns need not be the same as the number of lower columns. As shown in FIG. 3 , the upper column 122 and lower column 124 may be formed as a single monolithic column 125 that extends through the side wall 120, where the upper column 122 is an upper portion of the monolithic column 125, and the lower column 124 is a lower portion of the monolithic column 125. A height of the side walls 120 may be used to help determine a volume of the culvert 100. That is, a culvert 100 having taller side walls 120 may have a larger interior volume, and thus be capable of carrying a larger volume of fluid. As a particular example, the side walls may have a height between two feet and four feet.

In at least some embodiments, the culvert 100 may include a center support mechanism 140. The center support mechanism 140 may include a plurality of support columns 142, which may be connected by a lower center beam 144 and/or an upper center beam 146. The lower beam 144 may connect to the plurality of support columns 142 below the centerline of the columns, leaving a lower portion 147 of each column exposed. The lower portion 147 may be configured to mate with a corresponding lower socket 134 of the lower slab 130. The upper beam 144 may connect to the plurality of support columns 142 above the centerline of the columns, leaving an upper portion 149 of each column exposed. The upper portion 149 may be configured to mate with a corresponding upper socket 116 of the upper slab 110.

In at least some embodiments, one or more (e.g., each) of the plurality of slabs 110, 120, 130, 140 may include a reinforcement structure 150. The reinforcement structure 150 may be formed from a network of rebar 155 disposed in an interior of the slab. In some embodiments, the rebar 155 may be formed from any relative strong material that is adheres to the concrete used to form the slabs and has a relatively high tensile strength. As a particular example, the rebar 155 may be formed from a plastic material. Using plastic to form the rebar 155 may be advantageous because plastic rebar is cost-effective, non-corrosive, and readily adheres to the concrete used to form the plurality of slabs. In other embodiments, the rebar 155 may be formed from different materials, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, composite formed from glass fiber, carbon fiber, and/or basalt fiber, and/or any other material useful for strengthening and reinforcing the concrete.

In some embodiments, the rebar 155 may include protruding and naked ends 156, extending outward from a vertical slab (e.g., the side walls 120, as shown in FIG. 2 ). The protruding naked ends 156 may serve as the upper columns 122 and/or the lower columns 124. In embodiments, the rebar 155 may be arranged so as to connect a plurality of sockets (e.g., the upper sockets 116, the lower sockets 134) disposed within a slab. In this way, the rebar 155 can provide structural support for the slabs 110, 120, 130, 140, and can assist in the mating of the columns 122, 124, 147, 149 with the sockets 116, 134. In some embodiments, the one or more chemical adhesives, one or more welded joints, and/or the like may assist in mating the columns 122, 124, 147 149 with the sockets 116, 134.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of one possible assembled configuration of the culvert 100. As illustrated, the culvert 100 may comprise a plurality of slabs 110, 120, 130 and a center support mechanism 140 to ensure the desired structural integrity of the system. For example, culvert 100 may be assembled into a polyhedral culvert or other three-dimensional shape to drain the runoff.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the center support mechanism 140 may comprise one or more support columns 142, a lower beam 144, and an upper beam 146. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the columns 142 may be attached to a pair of beams, including a first upper beam 146 in contact with the upper slab 110 and a second lower beam 144 in contact with the base slab 130. The plurality of columns 142 may be formed using materials to adequately support the upper slab 110 and the forces applied to the upper slab 110 as the reinforced surface 115 is under load. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the beams 144, 146 and the columns 142 that make up the center support mechanism 140 are constructed and/or formed independently, enabling the modular replacement of a vertical support 142 and/or beam 144. 146 while the culvert 100 is in the assembled state. In other embodiments, the columns 142, lower beam 144, and upper beam 146 may be formed as a monolithic unit. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the columns 142, lower beam 144, and upper beam 146 may be designed so as to cause little or no restriction to the flow of the runoff accumulated by the culvert 100. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, columns 142, lower beam 144, and/or upper beam 146 may be formed in any of a plurality of different shapes and/or from any of a variety of different materials designed to reduce the impact of the columns or flow of the runoff. For example, the columns 142, lower beam 144, and/or upper beam 146 may be constructed using a mesh, webbing, and/or other interlaced reinforcement structures that do not interfere with the collection of runoff from the upper slab 110 and/or the flow of runoff within the culvert 100. As another example, the center support mechanism 140, when viewed from above, may have an arcuate or serpentine shape to avoid interfering with the drains 141.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one of the plurality of drains 141, disposed within the upper slab 110. As illustrated, each of the plurality of drains 141 comprises a grate 143 that defines a plurality of channels or holes to allow for runoff from the top portion (e.g., the reinforced surface 115) of the upper slab 110 to drain into the interior volume of the culvert 100. In embodiments, the channels or holes defined by the grate 143 may be sized to help prevent clogging with debris from the runoff, and to avoid impeding traffic on the reinforced surface (e.g., having holes sized to allow foot traffic, automobiles, bicycles, and/or other traffic to pass over the grate without getting stuck therein). Each of the plurality of drains 141 may be constructed from metals, plastics, and/or other materials that can support the weight of a car or other vehicle using the reinforced surface 115 and be subjected to the external environment surrounding the reinforced surface and the culvert 100. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of drains 141 may have different grate designs according to the structural and/or environmental needs of the system. For example, a grate design used in conjunction with a reinforced surface 115 formed as a sidewalk may be different from a grate design used in conjunction with a reinforced surface used as a street, and a grate design used in a hot climate may be different from a grate design used in a colder climate. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of drains 141 may be integrated into the upper slab 110. In other embodiments, the plurality of drains 141 may be formed separately from the upper slab 110 and be added to the upper slab after the upper slab has been constructed. Accordingly, the plurality of drains 141 may be independently replaced as necessary to help the system maximize drainage of runoff from the upper slab 110. In some embodiments the drains 141 may include a drop inlet cage 145 that substantially fills the aperture in the upper slab. The drop inlet cage 145 may help to collect debris before it enters the interior of the culvert 100, helping to reduce flow impedance within the culvert.

As discussed previously, the upper slab 110 may include reinforcements to help support the upper slab. FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the upper slab 110, illustrating a first possible reinforcement diagram showing a pattern 510 of the reinforcement structure 150 embedded in the upper slab in a first pattern. For example, the first pattern 510 of reinforcement structure 150 shown in FIG. 6 may be used for an upper slab 110 of an embodiment of the present disclosure comprising a relatively deep culvert. As illustrated, the upper slab 110 comprises the plurality of drains 141, a plurality of sockets 116, and the rebar 155 that makes up the reinforcement structure 150. As shown in FIG. 6 , the plurality of drains 141 may pass through the entirety of the upper slab 110 to allow runoff to drain from the outer surface (not shown in FIG. 6 ) of the upper slab into the interior of the culvert 100, in the assembled state. The sockets 116 may be distributed along peripheral edges of the upper slab 110 (e.g., for connection to the side walls 120) and may also be distributed along the centerline of the upper slab 110 (e.g., for connection to the center support mechanism 140). Accordingly, the upper slab 110 may be configured to attach to a plurality of other reinforced slabs to create a storm water and traffic box culvert to accumulate runoff. In some embodiments of the present disclosure the upper slab 110 may be configured to accumulate storm water runoff. The rebar 155 that makes up the reinforcement structure 150 may be formed using one or more of a plurality of different materials such as metals, plastics, ceramics, and/or other materials that can be used to reinforce the plurality of slabs to support the weight of the upper slab 110 and the forces associated with a reinforced surface 115. In particular, a material such as plastic rebar may be used to provide strength to reinforcement structure 15 . Additionally or alternatively, the reinforcement structure 150 may include a steel reinforcing rod in the concrete, known as rebar.

FIG. 6 illustrates one possible pattern 510 of distribution for the rebar 155 that forms the reinforcement structure 150 within the upper slab 110. However, the reinforcement structure 150 may take the form of various patterns according to the environment where the system is deployed, the traffic patterns on the slab 110, the materials used to form the upper slab, and/or various other considerations. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6 , the reinforcement structure 150 and the plurality of drains 141 are distributed at least in a semi repetitive pattern, enabling the system to be designed and constructed in a modular fashion. This helps to allow for the construction of the plurality of slabs to occur off-site. Thereafter, the plurality of preconstructed slabs may be interconnected into a desired configuration on-site. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, all construction and assembly of the system can be performed at the location that the system will be deployed according to the specified dimensions necessary for the system.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of the upper slab 110, illustrating a second possible pattern 520 for the reinforcement structure 150. For example, the second pattern 520 of reinforcement structure 150 shown in FIG. 7 may be used for an upper slab 110 of an embodiment according to the present disclosure comprising a relatively shallow culvert. As illustrated, the upper slab 110 comprises the plurality of drains 141, a plurality of sockets 116, and the rebar 155 that makes up the reinforcement structure 150. As shown in FIG. 7 , the upper slab 110 comprises a plurality of drains 141 distributed along the centerline of the upper slab 110. The rebar 155 of the reinforcement structure 150 may be distributed in the pattern 520 to allow for the center support mechanism 140 to attach along the centerline of the upper slab 110, without interfering with the runoff accumulated by the upper slab 110. While FIG. 7 illustrates a second pattern 520 of reinforcement structure 150 embedded in the upper slab 110, the plurality of rebar 155 that makes up the reinforcement structure 150 may be distributed in various other patterns according to the environment where the system is deployed, the traffic patterns on the slab 110, the materials used to form the upper slab, and/or various other considerations.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of the base slab 130, illustrating a possible pattern 530 for the reinforcement structure 150 embedded in the base slab. As illustrated, the base slab 130 may comprise a reinforcement structure 150 comprising rebar 155 and a plurality of sockets 134. The plurality of sockets 134 may be distributed throughout the base slab 130. For example, the center support mechanism 140 may attach to the base slab 130 at the centerline of the base slab 130. Accordingly, a plurality of sockets 134 may be distributed along the centerline of the base slab 130. As another example, the sidewalls 120 may attach to the base slab 130 along opposing edges of the base slab. Accordingly, a plurality of sockets 134 may be distributed along opposing edges of the base slab 130 to facilitate interconnection between the base slab and the side walls 120. While FIG. 8 demonstrates one possible pattern 530 of the reinforcement structure 150, the rebar 155 forming the reinforcement structure may be distributed in various other patterns according to the environment where the system is deployed, the materials used to form the base slab 130, and/or various other considerations.

FIG. 9 shows a cross-section of a side wall 120, illustrating a plurality of reinforcement structure 150, embedded in the side wall in a pattern 540. As illustrated in FIG. 9 , each of the plurality of side walls 120 utilizes a modular pattern 540 for the reinforcement structure 150 to allow for any size configuration of the system. Further, each of the plurality of side walls 120 may comprise a plurality of columns (e.g., upper columns 122 and/or lower columns 124 to interconnect the side wall 120 to the upper slab 110 and/or the base slab 130.

FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of a center support mechanism 140. As illustrated in FIG. 10 , the center support mechanism 140 may be constructed with a lower beam 142 and an upper beam 144 extending horizontally across at least a subsection of the center support mechanism, and a plurality of columns 142, with each column including a lower portion 147 extending below the lower beam and an upper portion 149 extending above the upper beam. The lower portions 147 and the upper portions 149 may be configured to interconnect the center support mechanism 140 with the base slab 130 and the upper slab 110, respectively.

III. Example Embodiment

In one example embodiment of the system, the Box Culvert has a 4-foot-tall chamber, covered by the upper slab. The upper slab may comprise four storm water openings, intended for the Drop Inlets, covered by the grates. The storm water openings are offset along a center line of the upper slab, at either side of the upper supporting beam underneath the upper slab. A bottom slab or base slab serves as a base for two identical side walls to further define the culvert. In addition, on a central portion of the bottom slab, the centerline structure is based, consisting of five columns, supported by the bottom beam. The reinforced surface is sloped inward 0.5-1% towards the Drop Inlets, maintaining the reversed crown.

The two identical side walls may have, embedded therein, five columns each, which is determined by the overall length of the upper slab. The naked ends of the columns, constitute around ¾ of the corresponding slab's thickness in length. The sockets may be placed on corresponding slabs, to receive the naked, ends of columns. The centerline structure (e.g., a central support mechanism) is assembled out of five columns, determined by the overall size of the system and upper and lower enforcing beams.

In another example embodiment, the Box Culvert may have a height of two feet, and may include a plastic reinforcing carcass within the upper slab of the Box Culvert. The Box culvert may include five vertical columns along a center line, extending between a base slab and the upper slab. As there is no supporting beam, four cages for the storm water openings for Drop Inlets, are lined up along the centerline of the carcass. The reinforcing carcass may comprise fifteen circles, outlining the sockets.

The circles may identify the vertical pipes of a little larger than columns' diameter. At the upper slab that pipes' length may constitute ½-¾ of the slab's thickness, and at the lower slab those pipes' length may constitute ¾ to a full thickness of the slab, such that they may match the lengths of the upper and lower protruding ends of the columns respectively. Those pipes may receive the protruding ends of the columns, acting similarly to the pair “piston-cylinder”. This addition may ensure the better fitness of the Box Culvert while its assembled, and may also enable better precision of Box Culvert during the assembly process. The better structural integrity of the Box also may be achieved as the moving parts, while assembling, may be limited only to the plastic material. Additionally, the construction of the Box Culvert may allow for the possibility of disassembly of the system without damage.

IV. Claims

While the specification includes examples, the disclosure's scope is indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, while the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as examples for embodiments of the disclosure.

Insofar as the description above and the accompanying drawing disclose any additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the claims below, the disclosures are not dedicated to the public and the right to file one or more applications to claims such additional disclosures is reserved. 

The following is claimed:
 1. A system for a storm water and traffic collector box culvert, the system comprising: a pair of opposed side walls, each side wall having: a substantially planar wall portion, and one or more columns extending through the wall portion, each of the one or more columns having an upper attachment point that extends upwardly from an upper edge of the wall portion and a lower attachment point that extends downwardly from a lower edge of the wall portion; a base slab having a plurality of base sockets disposed on an inner surface of the base slab, wherein the plurality of base sockets are disposed in rows along opposed peripheral edges of the inner surface of the base slab, the base sockets being configured to receive and retain the lower attachment points of the pair of opposed side walls; and an upper slab having: an outer surface configured to support one or more vehicles traveling across the upper slab, an inner surface configured to connect the upper slab to the pair of opposing side walls, a plurality of upper sockets disposed on the inner surface of the upper slab, wherein the plurality of upper sockets are disposed in rows along opposed peripheral edges of the inner surface of the upper slab, the upper sockets being configured to receive and retain the upper attachment points of the pair of opposed side walls, and a plurality of drains disposed along alternating sides a centerline of the upper slab, each drain extending through the upper slab, between the outer surface and the inner surface, each drain configured to allow runoff to drain through the upper slab and into an interior of the culvert, defined by the upper slab, the base slab, and the pair of opposed side walls; wherein the upper slab, the base slab, and the pair of opposing side walls form a rectangular prism culvert configured to drain the runoff.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a center support mechanism having: a plurality of vertical support columns, an upper support beam joining the plurality of vertical support columns such that upper portions of the vertical support columns extend upwardly above the upper support beam, and a lower support beam separated joining the plurality of vertical support columns such that lower portions of the vertical support columns extend downwardly below the lower support beam; wherein the plurality of base sockets disposed on the inner surface of the base slab comprises base sockets disposed along the centerline of the base slab and configured to receive and retain the lower portions of the vertical support columns; and wherein the plurality of upper sockets disposed on the inner surface of the upper slab comprises upper sockets disposed along the centerline of the upper slab and configured to receive and retain the upper portions of the vertical support columns.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein each upper socket, of the plurality of upper sockets, is connected to a first reinforcing frame embedded in the upper slab.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein each base socket, of the plurality of base sockets, is connected to a second reinforcing frame embedded in the base slab.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more columns in each of the pair of opposed side walls is formed from a plastic reinforcing material.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the base sockets and the upper sockets is formed from a plastic material, and wherein the first reinforcing frame and the second reinforcing frame are formed from a plastic reinforcing material.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the drains is formed within an aperture defined by the upper slab, and wherein each drain comprises a cage disposed at least partially within the aperture and a grate covering the aperture, the grate being disposed substantially flush with the outer surface of the upper slab.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface has an area sized to allow an automobile to park thereon.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the upper slab is reinforced to support weight of the automobile.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposing side walls has a height between about two feet and about four feet, and wherein the height is determined based on an amount of runoff intended to be received within the culvert.
 11. A system for storm water runoff and traffic collection, the system comprising: a plurality of interconnected reinforced concrete slabs assembled to define a polyhedral shape, comprising: a first slab including a reinforced surface having a plurality of drains disposed along a centerline of the first slab to allow runoff to pass through the first slab at locations of the plurality of drains, and wherein the reinforced surface includes a reversed crown to direct the runoff towards a center line of the reinforced surface, and wherein a plurality of sockets are disposed on an inner surface of the first slab; a second slab configured to oppose the first slab, wherein the runoff is collected between the first slab and the second slab, and wherein a plurality of sockets are disposed on an inner surface of the second slab; and a pair of side slabs configured to interconnect with the first slab and the second slab, and to support at least the first slab, each of the side slabs comprising upper columns for mating with the sockets of the first slab and lower columns for mating with the sockets of the second slab; wherein the plurality of sockets on the second slab extend through the second slab to allow runoff to drain through the sockets.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of reinforced concrete slabs includes a reinforcing structure embedded therein, the reinforcing structure being formed from a plurality of metallic, plastic, or ceramic materials.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sockets embedded in the first slab are attached to a first reinforcing structure embedded in the first slab, and wherein the sockets embedded in the second slab are .attached to a second reinforcing structure embedded in the second slab.
 14. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a center support mechanism extending from a centerline of the first slab to a centerline of the second slab such that the center support mechanism aids in supporting the first slab, the center support mechanism having: a plurality of vertical support columns, an upper support beam joining the plurality of vertical support columns such that upper portions of the vertical support columns extend upwardly above the upper support beam, and a lower support beam separated joining the plurality of vertical support columns such that lower portions of the vertical support columns extend downwardly below the lower support beam; wherein the sockets disposed on the inner surface of the second slab are configured to mate with the lower portions of the vertical support columns; and wherein the sockets disposed on the inner surface of the first slab are configured to mate with the upper portions of the vertical support columns.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the drains is formed within an aperture defined by the first slab, and wherein each drain comprises a cage disposed at least partially within the aperture and a grate covering the aperture, the grate being disposed substantially flush with the reinforced surface of the first slab.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of drains are disposed along alternating sides of the centerline of the first slab.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the center support mechanism extends along the centerline of the first slab, and does not interfere with the plurality of drains.
 18. The system of claim 11, wherein the reinforced surface has an area sized to allow an automobile to park thereon.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first slab is reinforced to support weight of the automobile.
 20. The system of claim 11, wherein the pair of side slabs has a height between about two feet and about four feet, and wherein the height is determined based on an amount of runoff intended to be received within the culvert. 